


Playing with Demons

by bloodykiss147



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Demons, Demon!Hank, Fluff, Human!Connor, M/M, Mild Blood, Slow Burn, brief mention of suicidal thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-09
Updated: 2019-02-07
Packaged: 2019-06-24 03:35:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 18,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15621675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bloodykiss147/pseuds/bloodykiss147
Summary: Connor is a bored college dropout who dabbles in dark magic for fun.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This chapter is just introduction to the humans

Connor was as average as average gets and incredibly bored with everything.

People would say he should be grateful for his life, and in some ways he is. A little. Well, he liked his twin brother Nicholas.

At some point decided he wanted to be called Nines. Our parents took to it right away, just because that's what he wanted. He always got what he wanted.

Whatever Nines wanted to do Connor was always forced to do it with him.

If Nines wanted classic piano lessons Connor had to go too. Nines was interested in law so Connor had to be in mock trial with him. Nines wanted to do chess team, or track, or student council there was Connor right alongside him.

What made Nines a great brother is he could lie to anyone about anything. Whenever Connor skipped a lesson or meeting Nines would lie to their parents perfectly. When Connor inevitably got kicked out of everything Nines kept them in the dark for the rest of high school.

Connor began spending most of his time in an old treehouse that was built when they were little. He would borrow horror stories and supernatural fiction from the library and read them while he was supposed to be at the school at a club.

Connor never fucked around with his actual classes or anything that might prompt a call to home about. Not that by the time his parents got home from work there would be any messages left to hear.

When it was finally time to pick a career Nines wanted to be in law enforcement, so Connor was sent right along with him.

It wasn't hard for them to get into the same college, Connor was just as smart as Nines even if he wasn't interested in much.

College turned out to be a godsend for awhile, they found a student apartment to rent with Connor’s childhood friend Kara and her sister Alice. They lived together even after Connor inevitably dropped out of college.

Kara wasn’t into going out and partying at clubs, the most wild she got was with how often she dyed her hair a different color. She decided on letting the dark roots show above unnatural blonde. While she changed her hair color often she preferred a short cut and kept it that way for years.

The four of them got along really well in the small apartment. Connor wasn't a child person, but Alice was old enough to get his brand of humor. Nines just seemed to accept they were there and treated them like a weird addition to the family.

Kara herself was easy to get along with, she was sweet and caring. Most people look at them and can't see how they work. Kara was a mother friend to everyone, while Connor just floated in the background.

With Kara came a new group of friends in college. They were a strange new addition. Their good friendship with Connor was nearly as baffling as his with Kara herself.

Connor's favorite was the de facto leader of the group Markus Manfred adopted son of artist Carl Manfred. Connor was a big fan of his art. Markus wanted to be a civil leader, but loved art and never stopped painting in his spare time.

You can't think about Markus and not think of Simon. Or maybe most people could. Simon was uninteresting to the outside observer. He was shy and polite, but was spirited as Markus when it comes to what he believes in. Simon and Markus have been dating for a while. They're open about it, but Simon wasn't really into PDA unless it was just the group.

The last but definitely not least. Because if anyone said so they'd have to surgically remove her foot from their ass is North. Connor and her get along fine, but he's sure she finds him weird.

There are others who come and go from the group, but they seem completely uninterested in Connor.

Ralph is one, Connor doesn't know his whole story; he had trouble with his speech and half of his face was a big scar. He only really spoke to Kara.

The other one is Luther. He was a large man that most people found to be really intimidating, but he was one of the nicest people Connor had met even out of the others in their group. Luther and Kara started an open relationship between high school and their first college semester. Like Ralph, Connor didn't know much about Luther's life. But he made Kara very happy and he comes over and helps cook dinner.

Connor was happy to have friends that he knew care about him, and he now has the freedom to be whoever he wants. But he's still bored. Being forced to follow Nines took up so much of his childhood that now given freedom to choose he is behind and unsure of what he wants.

He started with what career he actually wanted, he didn't hate the idea of going into police work like Nines, but he was always more interested in forensics. So he began going down that path hoping it would spark something. It didn't really, at first he felt good and was doing well in his classes, but by the end of his first year, he was almost worse than before.

He dropped out after that to work nights at a local 24 hour coffee chain and spends his days researching the occult.

Connor remembered in high school Kara and him would play with a Ouija board on cold nights when she'd run from home for a while. Or read books on the occult that they had found at the library. Connor wasn't originally a firm believer in the supernatural, but it spiralled quickly during college. He didn't have to hide anything living in the apartment so his interest just grew freely from it.

Connor never knew what kind of excitement he wanted; he wasn't into extreme sports or other activities adrenaline junkies like, but the risk from messing with the dark arts was something that interested him.

He even had a favorite little magic store called Mighty Magick, it was run down and everything was painfully fake, but there were often cute charms for Kara's keychain.

Connor was always more interested in books over knick knacks.

Nothing was ever worth much once looked into, but he could see an answer to his problem being in some old tome.

Sometimes he'd try the Internet, but if what he was looking for could be found on Google he’d have found it by now. So he stuck to old books found in the back of the dusty local magic shop. Sometimes the owner would claim he pulled some strings and got Connor something ancient.

It was always bullshit. Connor would always be desperate enough for anything and often bought it anyway, so who's the bigger ass.

He at least began to go there less often as protest.

That only meant more time watching garbage TV bored out of his mind alone. Like tonight, he was watching some random documentary about voodoo. Alone.

Kara and the other including Alice went to dinner, it was something they did a lot being a bunch of college students who probably can't cook if you put all their skill together. Except for Luther and Connor most of the time, but Kara felt bad making them cook all the time and their place was too small for dinner guests all the time so the others would be shit out of luck anyway.

So they went once in a while to somewhere cheap and put money together to buy food for everyone. Markus usually tried to pay for everyone, got stopped just as often. Connor usually went and had a fine time.

Tonight Connor was supposed to be at work, but a pipe broke and flooded the place so he had the night off. Kara kept him in the loop by texting him often.

Connor tried to text Nines, but he was on some mystery date and wouldn't answer if it was going well.

Connor was getting tired so he texted her to get home safe before relaxing and drifting off.

His phone dinged a full volume and shocked Connor awake. He didn't even think about the oddity of it, his phone's volume was never usually on, but what phone doesn't just be weird.

There was three missed texts from different numbers.

The first was from Kara's phone.

_Staying the night_  
_North says hi ;)_

The other one was from Nines and it was just the okay hand sign emoji. Which means he's alive and will not be home for the night.

_The last one was from an unknown number, it was just a photo of a doorway. There wasn't anything that popped out of the picture, just a dark green door with crimson red trim. There was a gold plaque to the side, but it was blurred and unreadable._

Connor was going to ask who it was, but he saw it was nearly three in the morning and probably just a wrong number and waste of time.

In the morning Connor walked into the kitchen to see Nines at the table eating cereal.

“What that bad you had to come home early?” Connor laughed and got his own bowl.

“He was great in bed--”

“Ew,” Connor said with the spoon still in his mouth.

Nines glared at him, “As I was saying. He was great, he just has an early job so he dropped me off here.”

“What's he do,” Connor asked.

“None of your business,” Nines said back.

“Fine, keep your dear brother in the dark, I'll just have to make outlandish speculation,” Connor acted out dramatically with his arms almost hitting Nines.

“What did you do last night,” Nines wanted the subject dropped, which made Connor want to come back to it later.

“Watched TV, passed out, the usual.”

“Sounds incredible,” Nines said.

“Whatever, I'm going to go shower.”

Connor cleaned his used bowl and spoon in the sink leaving them to dry beside it.

Nines called out to him, “don't be jealous, because I can get some.”

Connor answered him by slamming the bathroom door.

Connor spent most of his day online or clean the house for the others then go to lunch with Kara and whoever joined them if they had classes. Today he's pretty sure it would be Markus and Simon. The usual Wednesday crowd.

Nines never joined them really, he always tended to disappear after his criminology class. His excuses usually were that it was the only good meeting time for his professor, and he was getting advice from him on his career path.

From what Nines had told Connor about that class the professor was hard to deal with. He was a man by the name of Gavin Reed. Reed knew what he was talking about, but he was an asshole to the nth degree. Most of his students dropped the class after dealing with him once.

Only Kara was in the cafe when Connor arrived.

“Sorry to leave you alone last night, and this morning,” Kara said as he sat down.

“You don't need to apologise, I really didn't want to go out,” he said.

“Still,” she didn't finish her thought as Connor's phone went off. “I don't remember that sound.”

“Yeah it did that last night too,” Connor checks his phone. “Look at this, I got this text from the same number last night.”

“That's weird, do you recognize it?”

“I was hoping you would, like it was you using someone's phone. I don't have many contacts saved.”

Kara read the number a few times before just shaking her head. “I definitely didn't send it, and I don't recognize the number at all,” she said.

“It's probably just a wrong number,” Connor said looking at the photo.

“Why don't you text them back,” Kara looked at the photo again too.

Connor sent the mystery number a short message.

_I think you have the wrong number_

They waited for an answer. A phone buzzed and they both jumped, but it wasn't Connor's. Kara got a text from Markus that said they wouldn't make it. So Connor and Kara moved to a little cafe off campus for the rest of their lunch time.

Kara finished first and left for her class. Connor sat around before finally getting up and leaving. He texted Nines to let him know he was walking home. Connor took out a quarter from his pocket as he walked moving it around his fingers tossing it up then catching it once in awhile.

Connor was stopped by construction that was tearing up the sidewalk. He didn't remember seeing them on his way. He'd had to of seen them. That street was the quickest way to the apartment, he only ever took that way.

He had to use the next street over, which didn't add much time, but Connor preferred his straight shot home.

Connor stopped. In front of him was the door from the photo, the building had the same color front. It looked more like someone put a painting of a store in front of an alley.

It was open so Connor went inside. The building was long and thin that didn’t help dissuade Connor's alley theory. The lights were dim and smoke wafted in clouds under the beams. Shelves lined the walls full of crystals, candles, gems, rocks, and other items used in all kinds of magic.

The middle of the store had more shelves some with books others with more random items. Connor could only guess at what half of that shit does.

“Hello, how may I help you?” A voice came from beside him somewhere.

It sounded everywhere for a moment. A young woman stepped from behind a shelf.

She was very pretty. Long blonde hair in a ponytail that she threw over her shoulder. She wore a very professional sheath dress, it was a dark blue color.

Connor was a little taken aback by her. “Ah—” Connor wasn't sure. “I was just walking by and, this is going to sound weird. But I got two texts of your front door from a random number.”

He showed her the texts.

“Let me get my boss, he may know,” she bowed her head and left Connor alone once more.

She came back with a man. He was young and handsome, the manbun was a little of a turn off. Okay, a lot of a turn off actually. He wore a robe, it looked bizarre beside the well dress woman, but at least he looked more at home in the store itself.

“Hello, I'm Kamski. My assistant Chloe says you got strange texts,” he went right into it.

He looked at the number and the picture, but just handed it back after with a shrug. “I don't where it came from.”

He said it too fast to be telling the truth, but Connor wasn't sure if he should call him out. “Okay,” Connor said and put his phone away.

“So anything else I can help you with today?” Kamski asked.

“I guess, I'm actually pretty into the type of stuff you sell. Not sure how I've never seen this place before.”

“We just opened up,” Chloe said.

“So what's your interest,” Kamski said already moving around the store for something to show him.

“Books. Ones with spells and rituals,” Connor said.

“I have just the thing,” he came back to the front and slipped behind the counter.

From under it somewhere he pulled out a leather bound book, it wasn't very big, but the book was thick with pages.

His smile made Connor uncomfortable. He looked at the book.

Connor isn't an expert, but he's seen plenty of garbage to know it when he sees it. The book looked like nothing he's seen. It's leather bubbled into thick veins of air. It looked like thick wrinkled skin. The pages were looked thicker than normal print paper.

Kamski was silently watching Connor inspect it, he didn't give some speech about its origin. Just watched.

“How much is it?” Connor gave it back.

“First answer something for me, then we talk money. These pages here,” he opens to the last two pages. “What do you see.”

Connor looked at Kamski then Chloe before looking back at the book. “Nothing,” he lied taking a note from Nines.

Kamski nodded, but kept staring at Connor reading him.

Chloe rang the book up for twenty five dollars and Connor bought it. She bagged it for him and he was walked out by Kamski himself.

“The stuff in that book is harmless so don't worry—” he stopped as he opened the door for Connor. “But that last page is not to be taken lightly,” he said and closed the door.

Connor didn't even blink twice at the eccentricity of people that own stores advertising magic anymore.

He waited until he was home to open it again. He arrived to complete silence so he knew no one was around.

He took the book to his room and opened it at his desk. He opened right to the last two pages. Kamski had known he lied, Connor knew the look in his eyes. The whole thing was weird. He seemed satisfied that Connor said they were blank. So were they supposed to be Connor wondered.

The book upon closer inspection and in decent lighting looked worse than in the store. The leather was cracked and really did look like skin. That was unsettling. The pages themselves looked yellowed with age, but the pages felt surprisingly strong, and not a single page was bent or ripped.

The last page was almost a mural of swarling symbols. Like nothing, Connor had seen before. Nothing looked like words or any coherent symbols. The text was red and black fading into and out from one another.

Connor noticed that the lines seem to be moving, so slowly he had to not blink to see it. He was almost sure it was a trick of the light and his mind. Suddenly his head began to pulse and he had to close the book. The pain stopped instantly.

He opened it again this time to the first page, the page was instructions on shrine creation.

The shrine seemed to be mostly made of random items. First was the basics like incense and candles, but other parts called for one of several different items connected to the dead as well as whatever the caster believes could draw energy. It seemed very customizable for any belief.

It didn't have an exact structure, but it was recommended to have it up higher than you'd be sitting on the floor. Connor would have to find something to house it.

He looked to the next page; it was the first spell, a lost and found spell. The concept was simple. Connor actually remembered a spell that was said to do the same thing, but it didn't work in the end.

This one was a little different and required a lot less items. He just needed chalk to copy the sigil drawn in the middle top of the page, and the shrine.

The harder part it seemed was doing the spell. There was no chant or special words, you simply had to describe the object, as well as the place where you'd want to find it. In great detail though. Connor wasn't sure how much detail, it didn't say. Then when the moon has risen and fallen back to Earth the item will have been called to its home.

And the last sentence warned to not go looking before the item has time to return or it will hide again.

It certainly wasn't a dangerous or even interesting spell. It was the perfect first try. Connor was always cautious when trying new things, even if he knew it was incredibly fake, he was still careful about it.

He would have to make the shrine in his closet to keep it out of the way. He wondered if Kara had something he could use; she was in class, but would text him back anyway. He didn’t have to make up some lie about it either so it would be easiest to ask Kara first.

It took a few minutes, but she got back to him.

I _need to make a shrine, you have anything I can use?_

_Yeah, on one condition. I get to try out the book if it works_

_Promise_

_There is a jewelry box in Alice's closet that is connected to a stand, don’t break it_

Connor went into her sister's room, Kara slept on the pull out couch in the living room so Alice could have her own room and so could Connor and Nines. Alice's room was the largest bedroom in the apartment because it was the master bedroom. Connor’s room was originally a small study, and Nines was another small room they were sure was originally for storage.

Being the only real room Alice's was the only one with a decently sized closet, it was long but not very wide. It was well put together and there wasn’t anything on the ground so finding the box was easy enough. It was tucked into the corner.

The jewelry box came to about Connor’s waste, most of the height was from the long table legs under it. The box itself was old naturally dark colored wood. It had ivy carved into the corners the grew towards the two doors and circled around the brass handles.

Connor wondered if it was important to someone dead, it would be helpful. He’d have to remember to ask Kara later.

He got it to his room and began setting it up in his closet against the back wall, it fit perfectly in the small square space.

The inside of the box had three small drawers on the bottom, above that was a single shelf cutting the remaining space in two. Inside the doors themselves, one door had hooks for necklaces and the other an oval mirror alone in the middle that took up most of the door.

Connor had plenty of incenses and candles around so those were easy enough. He put the incense burner on top with a candle on each side. Connor had a vial of grave dirt from when they buried his grandmother so he put that on the top shelf along with crystals he had bought years ago. On the bottom shelf he set up two small bowls; one with salt, one with water. It was something from his wicca days. He put dried herbs into the drawers with a crystal laid on top.

Once he was done, it was still pretty early in the day so he knew no one would be home for a while, and he didn't have work until later. He usually waited for Kara, but everything surrounding the book made him anxious to try it. He hoped he finally found what he had been searching for. If it worked at all.

Drawing the sigil was easy to do with all practice over the years he had.

Connor wanted to start small, something he could remember quite well. Nothing he could think of his was missing so he thought about Kara and Nines.

Kara had lost her favorite cellphone charm years ago. Connor remembers it because he got her it when her cat passed.

The charm was a handmade clay calico cat. Sitting with one paw up to wash its ear and the other down, it had a big smile of its little face. The hook was in the head and it attached to the string. The string was broken, that's how she lost it he remembered. Just snapped off somewhere.

Now a location. He could only think of places in his own room so he began to describe his desk drawer. It was nothing special, just a drawer filled with old notes, miscellaneous other papers, and a glass pipe filled with month old weed ash.

He finished with the final command for the item to return home. Suddenly from within the closet a gust of wind blew out the candles, it crackled instead of extinguishing like normal before going dark and sinking the rest of the room in a thick blackness. Connor blinked and the room was back to its normal lighting. He felt weird.

He picked everything up when he heard the front door open. He found Nines in the kitchen looking around the cabinets.

“You're back early,” Connor said.

“Early? It's like almost nine,” Nines looked over his shoulder, brow raised.

Connor stared at him before rushing for his phone. Nines was right. It was eight forty-five, he lost the whole day.

He was going to be late for work if he didn’t leave soon, he didn’t bother changing just grabbed his bag and ran out the door.

 

He worked the night shift at a twenty four hour coffee chain. It was rundown like everything else in their section of town. The coffee was good enough and Connor liked his boss to a point. Not like Connor saw him often, working the night shift meant not seeing a single soul for hours.

He liked it that way, he could read for most of his shift undisturbed other than to clean and maybe brew coffee for himself. Or sometimes he’d just space out while he played with his quarter.

The only next time he’d see anyone is the morning rush right after the day shift comes in.

When he got home, he went straight to his room and passed out in bed fully clothed with shoes and everything.

Connor woke up later in the day with a start like he'd waken from a nightmare without any knowledge of one happening. His phone was dead, but he was pretty sure it was past dinner time already.

He saw he was still dressed from work, luckily he hadn't moved in his sleep at all so his shoes didn't muddy the bedding. He kicked them off and took a shower. He felt gross after sleeping that way for so long.

Then like most sudden and important realizations that happen in the shower, Connor thought of the spell.

He hopped out of the shower and dressed until he at least had shorts and a shirt on. He threw open the desk drawer and right on top of the stack of papers by his pipe was the little cat charm.

Connor picked it up and was in shock. He didn't even notice he had stepped back until his knees hit the bed and he was forced to sit down.

_Kara was going to lose her mind over this_ he thought.

Connor got up again from the bed and ran out into the kitchen. Right into the whole group. He'd be embarrassed for being half dressed, but he was too excited.

“Morning-- or night I guess,” Markus was the first to greet him.

“Hey,” Connor greeted him. “Kara look,” he held out the charm.

“Where did you find it?” Kara took it happily.

“Remember what I told you about before work last night. Well, it actually worked, it was right where I told it to go.”

“What did you do?” Markus looked at the charm from over Connor's shoulder.

“It's a long story, but I've bought an actual working book of spells. This is incredible!”

Connor's excitement was an odd sight to see. The others looked between each other, but Kara was enthusiastic was he was about it.

They didn't believe it. Connor told them to give him a perfect description of an item and he'd do it again. Markus told him about a favorite paint brush of his. His eye for detail made it easy for Connor to use it for the spell. He told them it would take a day.

After dinner since it was Friday, he didn't have work so he was sure he didn't have to worry about missing anything when he blacked out Connor did the spell again.

When he left his room he only lost four hour of time. It was ten o'clock now.

He let Kara know he was done and they watched TV for a while. Nines joined them at some point, but kept to himself as he worked on his laptop.

“So what will you try next?” She asked.

“Probably go through them in order,” Connor said.

“You should be careful.”

“I'll be fine, the guy I bought it from actually said it they were all harmless. Except--”

“Except what?”

“Okay, so this is one of the weirdest parts,” Connor took out the book from beside him and open to the last pages. “He asked me if I saw anything on the pages, what do you see.”

“It’s a spell, I'm pretty sure” Kara looked at it.

“Wait can you read it?” Connor took the book back and looked at the page. The lines still made his head hurt.

“It’s all blurred, but they look like words. I assume it's a spell,” she said.

“Nines, what do you see?” Connor showed him the pages.

“Nothing,” he said only looking up for a moment.

Connor shut the book. Now he was even more interested in whatever was on that page. Connor felt tired again so he went to bed before he passed out dressed once more.

Like the morning before Connor woke up late into the afternoon. He went right for the drawer, and just like with the charm the paint brush sat in the drawer. Connor put on real clothes and went to find Kara.

She was amazed to see him with the brush.

During lunch, they met up with the others and Connor showed them the brush.

“Bullshit, you stole that from Markus or something,” North said.

“How,” Markus pointed out.

“Like when and where would he have gotten it,” Simon added.

“Not to mention how would he have known that Markus would mention this specific brush,” Kara joined in defending him.

“Okay, okay fine. He didn't steal it, but I still don't believe in magic,” North said.

Connor didn't mind that, he'd rather her be a skeptic then her call him a thief and liar to all of their friends. “I can live with that.”

“I want to have a look at the book later,” Kara said.

Connor nodded and they all parted for their classes, he stayed and read the book at the table.

He gave all the spells a once over, he found some of the pages were herbalism recipes. Kara would probably be interested in those.

Connor noticed as he got deeper into the book the more items a spell needed to work, some of it called for things made with the herbalism.

Finally, back at the last page Connor still can't make anything out. The moving he'd thought he say was not happening anymore. He had to chalk that one up to his mind playing tricks on him.

It still gave him a headache to look at for too long.

Back to page one, he reread everything another time. He was so entranced that he didn't see Nines approach him.

“Are you still reading that book,”

Connor nodded. He wasn't listening, but he acknowledged Nines had spoken.

Nines looked down at Connor, he felt Nines tug at the book. Not hard enough to actually try and take it from him.

“You are acting weird—weirder” he said.

To the point as always.

“Sorry I'm a little preoccupied,” Connor began to whisper. “You know with the fact that I have a magic book that works.”

“You've only had it for a couple days and you're already obsessed with it,” Nines said. He crossed his arms. “You should stop playing with hocus pocus and start paying attention to the real world.”

“You sound like mom and dad,” Connor grumbled. It was childish, but he hated being talked to like that. Even from Nines.

“When was the last time you went on a date.”

Connor blushed. “What does that have to do with anything,” he said.

“You spend all your time playing wizard that you're neglecting your social life. You need to get out more.”

Connor throws up his hands in frustration, “stay out of my love life.”

“Whatever,” he said, Nines started to walk away.

Not like the lecture did any good. Connor went straight home to test out another spell.

Connor began practicing daily when he could between the time missed, the toll on his energy level it took from him, and work.

He tried spells from protection to actually enchanting an item with luck for Kara's finals. He began to lose time less and less, soon he could do several spells a day.

The exhaustion he felt though. That seemed to only get worse. It stacked on top of each other, spell after spell. He wouldn't feel it until later. It would come suddenly and he'd often pass out where he was. Which on occasion was in front of his friends. Once in front of Alice which scared the fuck out of the poor girl.

It wouldn't end when he slept. As soon as he'd wake up he'd be tired enough to go right back to sleep.

He tried to do them with his friends, but something always felt wrong and the spells never worked. With the exception of Kara, she was able to do the first one while alone.

The side effects bothered her enough she didn't try anymore. She did get into the herbalism quickly, it was simple potions that helped with a variety of things. She would mostly make potions to help with Connor's energy, and they worked just like the spells.

Nines and Kara worried after a while. Nines kept it to himself for the most part. But nothing could stopped Kara from mothering completely. She'd recommend slowing down and spacing them out before he crashed. Nines straight up told him to stop.

During finals, Connor made charms and cast spells for his friends. He ended up casting so often be would pass out at work. It didn't take long for him to get fired.

Without anything else to do Connor would do spells all day. He'd do the same ones over and over again to test how far they'd go.

It wasn't long until Connor was sitting in his room alone that he realized he was completely and utterly bored.

It's like falling into a frozen lake. Took a moment to feel it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introducing the demon

Connor didn't know what to do, he finally found what he wanted and it wasn't enough.

He'd done every spell multiple times, once the novelty of it wears off they didn't feel like anything more than parlor tricks.

Connor had gotten so bored he tried to visit the shop again. He was genuinely surprised to see the store still actually there. Connor half expected it to have disappeared like in a movie. It was unfortunately closed when he got there, and no sign was around the told him the hours either so he went home.

The spells slowed to nearly stopping, Connor didn't see the point in wasting so much time and energy to do them anymore.

He started watching TV all day again, and without a job, he did it well into the night too.

He learned a few more quarter tricks to do. He even started looking into college classes again. Mostly to shut Nines up.

Nothing made him feel better so when he took out the book once more Connor turned to the last pages. He hadn't looked at them in a while. He wanted something so badly to change.

And something had changed. The contents of the pages were the same, but instead of a headache came a vision. Connor felt like he knew what the text said without being able to actually read it on the pages.

The words came to him and he began writing them down in a notebook on his desk.

When his mind cleared he had translated everything. There was no description of the spell’s purpose, but he didn't care.

There didn't seem to be much to it when it came to supplies. One thing it called for that none of the others had was blood.

Candles with wicks dipped in the blood of the caster. The sigils and connecting lines also drawn in blood.

The sigil was a combination of several other ones found within the book. It was an elongated hexagon, the sigils made the corners. There was a large one in the middle that was elaborate. From it, connecting lines went to the six others, and from those six to each other to form a border. Inside the lines from the center are single smaller sigils.

Connor could recognize most of them from the text. There was two sets of binding sigils on the sides, in the bottom was a protection sigil, and above it one Connor hasn't seen along with the middle one that he also hadn't seen before in the book.

It would take a lot of his blood to complete it, he would need to take his time preparing for this; if he was going to do this he had to have a few days of rest. If he was so exhausted from harmless spells then he couldn't imagine the toll this would take.

There were other bits of information like where to place the candles and where to stand. It was all pretty vague. Connor was sure with more time he'd have clearing and more complete instructions.

It wasn't smart to charge ahead, but Connor didn't care so much about being smart.

Taking time away from using the book was also a good way to get the others off his back. Everything would be back to normal.

He put the book in an old shoebox that was lying around his closet.

He instantly noticed he slept more without waking up tired. He didn't even feel the tiredness that came with his usual boredom.

Connor was more alive around the house. It felt weird to him just to return to normal life as if he didn't spend months practicing magic. His friends noticed a difference and chalked it up to him tiring of the book.

Nines eyed him suspiciously whenever he'd join them. He could smell the lie, but wasn't sure where in Connor's statement was the lie itself. He knew Connor had stopped casting spells, because Nines saw the change in his sleeping habits.

Kara was suspicious but also knew Connor well enough to see the sleep change as well. She also wanted to trust her friend. Even if she couldn't shake the feeling of something off. She probably spoke with Nines about it behind Connor's back.

Connor felt better, he would probably stop doing the spells so often now that's he's done them until they too were boring to him.

He also had to imagine what might happen if he fails this. Improving his sleeping habits wouldn't matter if he got himself killed doing this. He tried not to think about it, but it was a very likely possibility.

Bring safe was boring, and if Connor could be excited about magic than what was the point of playing it safe.

He was almost tempted to write out a will or something just in case. They'd probably blame his death on suicide if he did, but then murder at worst if he didn't.

There was always the third option that he survives and everything is fine.

Without much to do Connor began to get antsy from doing nothing but watching TV all day. His quarter never leaving his hands, kept them busy.

He hasn't been this bored in a while, the anticipation was getting to him.

He kept rereading the handwritten instructions from his vision, the two sigils he couldn't name bothered him. He had time so Connor decided to visit the shop one more time.

It was opened today.

The store bell chimed and he saw Kamski as he entered. He was in the same robe as before, but this time it was open, under it was what looked to be an old t-shirt and sweats.

Chloe came from the back to greet him. “Hello again. It's nice to see a returning face. How can I help you?”

“I want to ask about something, from the book,” Connor said and took it from his bag. “I li--”

“Lied? Yeah we know,” Kamski interrupted.

Connor stood shocked for a moment.

Connor walked to the counter. “So was it like a test or something.”

Chloe moved to stand beside Kamski. “Had to see what you'd do. There was several ways it could have gone you know,” he said.

“Like?” Connor asked.

“You could have not seen anything at all or told us the truth,” Chloe said.

“Or just lie about it—” Kamski said, then “Like you did,” he added.

“I’m not sure why I lied,” he was honest.

“Doesn't matter, the point was to see if you saw it then what you'd do after,” Kamski said.

“As long as you saw it, that was the important part,” Chloe said.

“If I didn't,” Connor said.

“Well then I wouldn't have sold you the book, that is the end game kid,” Kamski took the book from Connor and opened it to the last pages. “If you can't do this then there is no point.”

“I don't understand,” Connor said looking at the book.

“Can't tell you then, if you can't read that part you're not ready for it,” Kamski shrugged.

Connor sighed, but before he left. “Wait, can I ask you about the sigils. I don't recognize two of them,” he said.

Kamski held out his hand and waved for him to come back towards the counter. Connor gave him the paper he drew from his vision.

He pointed to the one in the middle and the one on top. “Those,” Connor said.

“The top one is the sigil for summoning, and this one in the middle is the portal,” Kamski said.

“Portal to what?” Connor asked.

“Can't tell you that, keep practicing and you'll know everything you need to.”

Connor refused to waste more time with practicing boring mundane spells. He thanked them and left, determined to continue despite their advice.

Connor begun making a list in his notebook of his plans for the ritual. He wasn't sure what would happen so he wanted to make sure everything was perfect.

He first he needed time. No one could be home and he didn't know how much time he’d lose. He didn't want to stain is floors so something was needed to cover it. He needed a sharp knife. North would have one, or several he could borrow, but he didn't want any more people to know about it yet. So he'd have to buy one. That's all he had at the moment, Connor kept the notebook around to add anything else as needed.

At breakfast one morning Kara placed a vial of liquid in front of him. “Drink this diluted in a large glass of water, and please be careful,” Kara said.

“What is it?” Connor asked holding it to his face. It was murky and looked green almost.

“An energy and luck elixir, it should help.”

“Thanks. I’ll be fine,” said Connor.

Connor pocket the vial until he could bring it to his room. He knew the elixirs would work because it came from the book.

It was very likely Kara knew that Connor will do something stupid so she'd better at least be there in some way to help him survive it. He wouldn't admit he was worried even a little, because that would cause Kara to worry then she'd probably have Nines help her hide the book forever.

Connor put the vile in his shrine, he decided he'd do it first chance he had.

It happened to be a Saturday when he was left home alone. Kara took everyone out to dinner and they wouldn't be home for hours. Connor bought a new knife the day before and the timing was perfect.

The ritual would be done by the time they returned, Kara knew to check on him when they got back; he really hoped she doesn't have to come home to his mangled corpse.

Markus gave Connor some large sheet paper without question that he used to cover his floor, he didn't want to have to explain blood on the hardwood. He drank the elixir with water before taking a knife to his hand.

He drew out each sigil slowly in blood, he didn't want to bleed out too much so he worked with little at a time. His hands shook from the pain and buzz of excitement. Connor cut his palm one more time to drop blood down the wicks of several candles. The blood pooled where the wax dipped.

He arranged the candle in a circle around the middle sigil.

Everything was set and nothing was holding him back. Well except for his basic instinct of survival and common sense, but he ignored those.

Connor lit the first candle farthest from himself. Then the one next to it on each side until he was at the last candle in front of him. He stepped into the protection sigil and lit the final one.

Nothing happened. Connor fell to his knees looking at the candles in front of him.

Desperate he grabbed the knife he used earlier and took it to his hand again. He didn't know what he was going to do, but he had to try something. He stabbed it through the back of his left hand the blood pooled from his hand onto the paper under him.

Suddenly Connor gasped as the air he breathed froze his lungs solid. The blood begun to flow from the puddle under his hand, it flowed rapidly towards the portal sigil. When it connected to the edge of the sigil the candles flared a huge crimson flame.

Ice formed from the blood, creeping through the room covering everything in a crimson sheen. Connor could see his breath, and it hurt to breath. His blood stopped flowing and froze him to the floor. Connor stared at the ice that engulfed his hands. He was stuck to the floor and had all he could do was kneel and watch.

He heard a cracking sound. He looked at the portal sigil and saw the ice there cracking leaving a large impossible hole in the ground. Large pillars of of ice brust up about eight feet from the ground.

There was something dark within its’ core. Connor couldn't move. He had to stay on the ground as the room thawed around him, leaving just his hand bound and the ice from the portal.

They begun to crack and chunks fell with a hard solid crash to the floor. Connor wanted to move, it hurt to struggle. He watched until everything fell away to reveal a man.

He was naked and body wise was completely human. He was looking to the side, but Connor could tell he was an older looking man, maybe supposed to be in his fifties.

What wasn't human was his skin it had a grey tone to it with a slight blue tint, his hair was long and completely silver. Above his brows grew large black horns. They grew off to the side; thick and rigid. It reminds Connor of a type of cattle.

Part of the feeling of breathlessness Connor felt was from how handsome the Being was. He had what looked like a strong jaw under his silver beard. He was probably over six feet tall, and had a large soft looking body. Connor would only ever admit it to Nines and Kara, but he had a strong attraction to older men. Usually not so much older, but the Being was something else.

His eyes slowly opened. They turned to the side and met Connor's. He stopped breathing completely as the Being looked into his eyes. His eyes were black around icy blue irises and white pupils.

He stepped out of the last of the ice and turned to Connor.

He looked tired for a supernatural entity. Connor struggled with the ice still around his hands more.

“What do you desire,” he commanded, his voice sounded distorted and almost echoed.

Connor could see his teeth were sharp. There was a gap between the front two, Connor would normally say it was cute.

Connor blinked at him, before he found his voice. “I--I don't want to be bored all the time,” Connor said finally.

The being just looked at him before crossing his arms a sighing. That was very human of him.

“Of fuckin’ course. Try something with a little more detail,” he said.

Connor was caught off guard; by the sudden loss of the strange otherworldliness to his voice, he sounded like a normal human man.

“I don't know then! I just want some excitement in my life,” Connor said.

The ice around his hands shattered. There was no damage to his skin from the ice. It was cold enough to feel real.

The Being waited for Connor to get up. “I could interpret that a million ways, kid. I could send you falling from the sky or throw you into a frenzy of sharks. Has to be specific.”

“Can I think about it?” Connor asked.

“Fuck,” he said. “Fine, but that means I'm stuck here with you until you figure it out. Or I kill you take your soul and return to my realm, whichever comes first.”

“Wait! You're going to kill me,” Connor stepped back.

“You have three months, maybe,” he shrugged.

Connor could think of something in three months.

“What if, I called it off right now?”

“I kill you and get to go back early,” he said.

 _Nevermind then_ Connor thought to himself. He wasn't sure what to do now with this being in his room.

Once his mind caught up with him Connor turned red. “Can you put some clothes on,” he said, a little too loudly.

The Being looked at himself then at Connor with a raised eyebrow. Connor looked away and slid his hands in his pockets.

Connor heard a sigh and looked up finally. The Being was now dressed in a large coat with an ugly button up underneath, dark pants and shoes. His horns looked to have gotten smaller, probably realized he’d have trouble later with them.

Connor looked him up and down; he looked so human under the horns, off colored skin, and haunting eyes. “So, what are you exactly,” Connor said.

“Most people I've been summoned by call me a demon,” he says.

“Yes, but what are you really,” Connor couldn't help himself. He knew it was probably really dumb to grill a ‘demon’. “I mean aren't demons from hell and fire themed.”

“Great one of those humans. There is no real name for what I am, so just take your pick. Demon, Genie, Being from an Icy Hole in the Ground,” he said. It was very strange to hear sarcasm from a magical Being, he went on. “Not every realm we come from is the same. Mine is cold. Blistering cold that would freeze you solid in seconds,” he finished.

Having given up, “I’ll stick with demon then,” Connor said.

“They usually do,” he said back.

“Do you have a name for you yourself?”

“I used to,” he said thinking for a moment. “It was Hank something.”

It was a little less intimidating that the demon was named Hank. Connor almost chuckled, but he caught himself. Out of all of the brightest moves he's made lately straight up laughing to a demon’s face was probably at the top of the list. And is to be avoided.

“I’ll call you Hank then, better than demon,” Connor said.

Hank’s cocked an eyebrow at him, but seemed to convince himself it was true. “Fine whatever,” he said.

Connor extended his hand out to Hank. “I'm Connor,” he said.

Hank didn't take his hand. He just huffed and started moving around the room.

It made Connor a little self conscious to have him poking around his things. He felt like his dad was here judging his living space. He stood and watched, his hands kept occupied by his quarter.

Connor actually couldn't believe it though, he had a demon in his room. He couldn't wait to tell the others.

“Oh yeah, don't say a word about me or I get to kill you and leave,” Hank said.

 _Shit he could read minds. Of course he could._ “Don't read my mind,” Connor said.

Little strange to command something of a demon, but Connor did not want Hank in his head.

“No promises,” Hank said with a smirk.

He had poked his head into Connor's closet, he looked at the jewelry box shrine Connor made months ago. More little items had been added by Connor and Kara since then.

“Cute,” Hank said.

Connor blushed and wanted to defend his little shrine, but Hank had moved on. Keeping up with excuses was hard to do when he went from one thing to another in seconds with some stupid comment or another.

A text from Kara stopped Connor. He saw two missed messages, they were two hours apart. He had to rely so she wouldn't worry the rest of the night.

The first was from just after they left.

_Good luck_

Then later.

_Going to be home soon_

_I’ll tell you when you get home_

Connor hadn't noticed Hank come up behind him. “What are you going to tell her,” it wasn't a question, it was a dangerous warning.

He jumped and spun around to face Hank. “It failed, nothing happened” Connor said, he was able to keep his voice steady. His hand froze with the quarter in his fist.

It wasn't a lie, but ice ran up his spine anyway. Hank scared him and was dangerous no matter how disarming his human-like features were.

Hank nodded and went back to looking around. He could find a lot to look at in Connor's tiny ass room. Connor's put the quarter back into his pocket.

“Have any booze,” Hank took a seat at his desk.

Connor shrugged. “There is probably a beer or two in the fridge,” Connor said.

“It will do for now I guess, but pick up something stronger,” he said.

Then disappeared to come back with the beers from the fridge. He drank them both by chugging them in a few mouthfuls.

Connor looked at him as he finished the second one. “You're a demon, why do you drink?”

“Why does anyone drink, kid,” he said.

Connor was getting a little pissed off about the kid thing. “First stop calling me kid, and second my question still stands. You're a demon, you must not feel the effects of alcohol,” Connor almost yelled out.

He usually kept his cool. But lately, the lack of proper answers to his questions was getting to him.

“I don't know! Old habits I guess. Fuck just get me some whiskey, is all I'm asking,” Hank crossed his arms like a petulant child.

Connor didn't act like much more of an adult, he put his hands on his hips. “Can't you just magic up some,” Connor said.

“No, my magic is for granting idiots like you your one true wish,” he said the last part with a venomous tone that made Connor shiver. “I can do illusions, but that's all it would be an illusion.”

“Alright, fine. I'll buy you whiskey,” Connor sighed.

Connor decided to clean up the papers that were now wet and crimson from the red ice freezing then thawing. The rest of his room was dry which was a gift he wasn't about to question.

“Using paper was smart,” Hank commented.

Connor smiled a little at the compliment then wrapped everything in it including the bloody candles, making a bundle of wet garbage. “I didn't want blood stains on the hardwood,” Connor laughed.

Hank looked at him with a raised brow and a frown. “What is so funny,” he said.

Connor stopped laughing. “This could have killed me and I was more worried about the flooring,” Connor said.

“This could still kill you,” Hank pointed out.

Connor looked to the ground and nodded. Hank was right, he could still die at the end of this.

“How will I know what my true wish is,” Connor didn't look up.

“Fuck if I know. I've seen greedy people know exactly what they want the second I awaken, no questions just gimme this or gimme that. Others like you are too vague or just don't know what they want and then I'm stuck hanging around until the inevitable happens,”

“Which is?”

“More often than not, they never figure it out until it's too late and they are killed.” Their eyes met when Connor looked up at him, “those people are the worst, playing with something they don't understand just for what. Shits and giggles.”

Hank was growing angry, and Connor knew it was at him.

“I knew what I wanted, you're the one who says it's not right,” Connor said.

Hank glared at him, but dropped his gaze and looked out the window away from Connor.

“Listen, I'm going to go make dinner. Just do whatever. I'll figure out my wish soon so you can go along your way,” Connor turned to leave, but hearing Hank chuckle stopped him. “What?”

“You didn't read most of the spell did you?” Hank held up a hand and the book appeared in it open to the ritual page. “Probably should have,” Hank said and handed Connor the book.

The pages were actually legible now. Connor could read what he had previously, but also what was blurred and missing was now clear. It was the warning. Of course the warning would be the last to show itself.

Some of it Hank already told him like what a true wish was and that he was now stuck because Connor couldn't think of anything.

Another part was something Connor didn't know about. A game must be played.

“What does that mean, what game?” Connor looked to Hank.

He rolled his eyes. “You must win a game. One of your choosing in order to survive your wish,” he said.

“If I lose, other than death I assume,” Connor almost didn't want to ask.

“Now where is the fun in ruining the surprise,” Hank smirked. “Just focus on finding a wish, then worry about surviving it.”

Connor clenched his fists but was tired of the non-answers he kept getting so he left it.

He would try and ignore Hank, think of his wish, and worry about the game while just returning life to normal. Go back to easy, to debunking tricks from the old Might Magick shop. Get a job.

Connor made himself a cheap frozen meal he found in the freezer. He hadn't realized how tired he was.

He had been prepared for the exhaustion, but he had been so preoccupied with Hank. He hadn't felt it until now. The microwave alarm made him jump slightly, he was swaying on his feet.

“Not looking so good there kid,” Hank laughed.

It sent a shiver down Connor's spine, he was across the room, but Connor could feel the ice on his breath go across his neck.

Connor got his meal then sat at the table, Hank stood by his room door and watched him eat. Connor stared back with a frown on his face.

“Quit starin’ or I'll find out what you're thinking,” Hank said.

Connor went red and turned his head down to eat in silence.

Connor didn't hear the front door open, but Hank was gone.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. “Hey Connor,” Kara greeted him.

Only Luther, Alice, and Nines were with her. Connor was grateful he didn't need to deal with an apartment full of people. He was so tired.

“Hey,” Connor said.

Connor and he was sure Kara herself waited until Luther offered to put Alice to bed to speak more.

“So how did it go?” She asked.

Connor took a bite of his meal. “Didn't work,” Connor said with another bite.

“I'm sorry to hear that,” Kara said.

“Now will you stop with this garbage,” said Nines.

“Might still use the ones I know work,” Connor said with a shrug.

Nines rolled his eyes and went to his room.

Kara sat down at the table and looked at Connor. “Did it really not work?”

“It didn't work,” Connor said angrily.

He didn't mean to, but he was tired. He also was being to get dizzy from all the bleeding he had to do earlier.

Kara looked taken aback. “Sorry,” she said.

Connor sighed, “no I'm sorry. I think I bled a lot and now I'm a little tired and annoyed that it was all a waste of time.”

They didn't see Luther enter, “you're hurt?” he asked.

Connor faked a laugh and smile. “I broke a jar and didn't think about grabbing the pieces with my bare hands,” Connor said.

“I'll get the first aid kit,” Luther left again.

“Thank you,” Kara said.

She smiled as he left. Connor snickered at his friend. She looked back and Connor and punched his arm slightly in a huff.

“I'm still hungry,” Connor said to the empty tray.

He found a box of granola bars and ate a couple of those as Luther returned and gave Kara the kit.

She cleaned and patched the multiple cuts on his palms while fighting him to stop eating. Luther had moved to the living room to set up Kara's bed for them to sleep for the night.

Connor tried not to flinch when she cleaned them, it didn't look as bad once the crusted blood was cleaned away; the wound through his hand had healed almost completely. Kara put butterfly stitches to close the open palms then she bandaged them with a cotton pad wrapped in gauze.

Connor took his hand back from her. “Thanks,” he said inspecting it.

Kara watched his hand, “Don’t move them too much.” She looked into Connor's eyes. “I don't think you should try it again,” she said.

“Me either,” Connor got up. “I'm going to bed before I pass out standing.”

“I'll make breakfast in the morning,” Kara smiled at him.

Connor gave her a quick smile as he turned to his room and left her to go to bed as well.

Connor managed to undress down to his boxers. Hank was nowhere to be seen. His body hit the bed and he was out in a second.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this took forever to update; I had chapter 3 sitting in my edit folder for months just no motivation to edit it.

Connor woke up to the smell of pancakes and bacon. He laid in his back and looked up at his ceiling debating whether or not he wanted to actually get up, he felt exhausted.

 

He was also starving.

 

Yesterday didn't feel real, he wondered if it was all just some hallucination from blood loss. His hands stung when he tried to close them and make a fist.

 

He sat up and unwrapped his bandages, the cuts were closed. Nearly healed, but still red and would be scarred forever. A little reminder of what he did.

 

Connor finally gets up and dressed before he joins the others in the kitchen.

 

Luther was at the stove cooking. Alice and Nines had their plates already, and Kara was getting her own plate.

 

“Good morning,” Alice said.

 

“Morning,” Connor yawned.

 

Kara smiled and gave Connor her plate when he sat down. She went back to the stove for new food. Luther kissed her forehead when she got close. They got their food joined the others, everyone ate and talked. Connor was too tired to talk so he just listened.

 

He felt a chill, a piece of his bacon disappeared from his plate. He looked around no one noticed it, but him. Nines caught his eye, but he only raised an eyebrow and kept eating.

 

“Connor, can you watch Alice while I drive Luther home?” Kara asked

 

He looked up when addressed. “Of course, no problem,” Connor said.

 

Kara and Luther finished their food and left. Alice finished her food and went to her room. That left Connor alone. As alone as he can be with Hank somewhere around.

 

Speak of the demon. Hank appeared as if called and sat beside Connor on the couch. The cold from Hank crept into Connor as they sat close.

 

“I could use a drink,” he said.

 

Connor sighed. “If we go food shopping today I'll pick you up a bottle,” he said.

 

That seemed to satisfy him. They watched TV together in a strangely comfortable silence.

 

Hank seemed to sense Kara before she got to the door because he disappeared and moments later Kara came through the door.

 

Alice came out when she heard the door close, she looked at Connor with an odd look, but just greets Kara.

 

Connor heard from behind him Kara telling Alice to get ready to go shopping. Then, “are you coming this week Connor?” Kara asked.

 

“Yeah I need to get a few things,” Connor said.

 

They all got ready and left.

 

Connor usually was the one to go with Kara to the store. She shopped for Alice and herself while Connor shopped for Nines and himself.

 

Kara and Connor would eat anything put in front of them. Alice wasn't much of an eater, but she'll eat without complaint. Nines would try something at least once but has a very small selection of things he'll actually eat often.

 

Food shopping doesn't sound like it could be a good time, but with Kara and Connor, it always was.

 

Connor and Kara would look at everything and tried to think of new puns or mispronunciations of whatever it was. Alice almost looked like her soul wanted to leave her body.

 

While Kara was at the checkout and nearly done Connor said he forgot something and he'd meet them in the car.

 

He went a bought two bottles of whiskey, his shoulder went cold and he smiled.

 

In the car, Kara eyed the paper bag in Connor's hands but said nothing as she pulled out of the parking spot.

 

They all put the food away together. Connor left the sisters after they finished.

 

He went into his room and put one of the bottles on his desk took out his quarter then waited. He smiled a little when it didn't take long for Hank to appear and take the bottle.

 

“So I was looking at that picture of you and your friends, I just noticed your brother had blue eyes,” he took a gulp. “That is weird as hell, you two both have the same funny lookin’ face. Except for those eyes,” he finished

 

“Our faces are not funny looking!”

 

Connor took the bottle of whiskey from Hank and took a swig from it.

 

“Shouldn't start day drinking kid,” Hank looked at Connor.

 

“Says the demon,” Connor took another. “You know we still get confused for one another, usually only until they got a front view, or hear us talk.”

 

“True your voice is weird.”

 

“Rude.”

 

“You know, I got bored the other day and did a little looking around the apartment. Saw your brother sending dirty texts to a guy. Who is it?”

 

Connor choked on his next swig. “What the fuck are you talking about,” he said.

 

“Your brother was sexting a dude named Gavin Reed, just wondering who that is. You don't seem to know about him,” Hank said.

 

“Gavin Reed is Nines’ criminology professor!” Connor really didn't want to think about his brother fucking his professor. “I'm going to kill him.”

 

He took the bottle back from Connor before he hopped into Connor's bed. After a few gulps, he pulled the bottle back and laughed.

 

“It's not funny,” Connor whined, he could practically feel the rumble from Hank's laugh.

 

“Kind of is, kid.”

 

Connor stormed from his room knowing Hank wouldn't follow. He joined Kara and Alice to watch cartoons.

 

After Connor calmed down and they ate dinner he went back to his room. Hank was drinking from what looked like the second bottle.

 

“Can't get drunk, can you,” Connor watched him.

 

“Nope,” Hank took a large gulp.

 

“So you'll just keep drinking as long as I keep getting it for you,” Connor crossed his arms.

 

“Yup,” Hank smiled.

 

“Probably should look for a job then,” Connor sat at his desk.

 

After that Connor spends a lot of time in his room talking to Hank. Sometimes it would be able what the others did that day or what's on TV, Connor looks up dog videos for Hank and him to watch.

 

“I think I had a dog when I was human,” Hank said.

 

“Remember anything about it?”

 

“I remember he was a big dog, Saint Bernard I think. His name was—” Hank stopped mid-sentence and looked pained.

 

“You alright?” Connor reached out to touched Hank's arm, but the threat of frostbite stopped him.

 

“Trying to remember too hard hurts.”

 

Connor nods and they go back to the videos. Hank doesn't comment when they turn into videos of Saint Bernards.

 

Lately, Connor's friends seemed to be worried about him, they try harder to include him in activities. Which is how Connor ended up agreeing to go to a club with them on Friday.

 

Hank bitched about it a lot. Until Connor agreed to let him drink his drinks. It's not like Connor was much of an actual drinker so he didn't mind. Sucked that he had to pay for them.

 

The club itself was not something Connor would be normally caught dead in. The music was a loud consisting of God awful remixes of the hottest chart-toppers. The dance floor was full of sweaty people dancing against each other. Connor lost his friends almost immediately in the mass. The cold breeze across his neck was familiar and calmed him.

 

Hank was at least around. Connor bought a drink moving it from the bartender's sight as it disappeared into thin air. He bought a few more in about fifteen minutes.

 

The bartender may have not been paying attention to the number of drinks Connor bought, but someone was.

 

A man approached Connor with another of what he'd been buying. “Been watching you drink alone, you really know how to pound them down,” he said.

 

The man was at least buzzed. He wasn't being subtle about running his eyes up and down Connor or about placing a hand a little too high on his thigh. Connor had enough when he squeezed.

 

He put his mouth disgustingly close to Connor's neck. “I bet you could pound a lot down, you have a nice cock sucking mou—” the man stopped talking and burst up from his seat.

 

Connor watched in silence as he ran from the bar to the bathroom. Connor's whole body turned cold. The drink the man left was empty.

 

Kara found Connor by the bar soon after and he said his goodbye before taking a cab home.

 

Connor dismissed Alice's babysitter then dressed for bed as soon as he was home.

 

“Was that you at the club,” he asked the air. He wasn't even sure if Hank was around, but he assumed he was more often than not.

 

He gets no reply before he fell asleep.

 

Saturday Connor woke up alone with texts from Kara that she was alright and everyone went to Markus’ place after the club.

 

Kara came by to shower, change and pick up Alice and they went back. Connor didn't want to join them he was still tired from the night before.

 

Connor spent the day in the living room doing nothing alone. He didn't even feel the chill that accompanied Hank around.

 

It was weird. Connor was used to being alone a lot, but after last night he really wanted Hank around. And he had no one.

 

It was late when Connor finally got up to make himself dinner. He took a frozen burger patty and threw it into a pan.

 

Connor almost dropped the spatula when he felt his whole body go numb.

 

Hank was there towering behind him. He felt several feet taller than he actually was being so close to Connor. And he radiated a harsh cold, Connor could feel seeping through his clothes.

 

“I want one,” he said.

 

“Demons eat now too,” Connor said, but grabbed another premade patty from the freezer and put it in the pan.

 

“Don't have to, but I want to,” was all he said from above Connor.

 

“Can you taste it?”

 

“Kind of. It's there but—”

 

“Boring? Like your senses are dulled,” Connor looked up at him.

 

It was awkward, but Connor blushed at how close he was. He could actually feel his head just barely touching something soft, he realized it was Hank's solid form. He felt so cold it could burn Connor's skin if left there too long.

 

“Something like that. I've only gotten to try food once like this,” he said as he looked at the food on the stove and not at Connor.

 

“As a demon?”

 

“Yeah,” he was all he said.

 

Connor tried to lighten the mood. “You ever try hot sauce?” he looked back at the stove.

 

He opened the cabinet above it and took out a bottle of hot sauce they kept there. He used it on Hank's burger as he cooked it.

 

Hank was silent. It was honestly a bit unnerving to Connor; his hand itched for his quarter but had to use them both to cook.

 

He felt his back warm and heard the fridge door. Hank had moved away without making a sound. Connor turned his head to watch him a little. He took out the basics; cheese, ketchup, mustard, and pickles.

 

“Can you take out the mayonnaise for me?” Connor asked

 

His face scrunched up, but he did put it out on the counter with the other things.

 

Connor was sure he heard him mumble something about disgusting and ruining of a good burger.

 

“Don't judge me,” Connor yelled out and blushed.

 

From a bang followed by a swear from the fridge, Connor gathered Hank just slammed his head on the fridge.

 

And he missed it, damn.

 

When the burgers were finished they made their own burgers the way they liked them.

 

Hank used the ketchup, mustard, and pickles. Steering clear of the mayo. He took a bit bite when he finished putting it together.

 

Connor just used mayo and found lettuce in the fridge he had remembered Kara bought. It was still good. Hank looked almost betrayed by Connor.

 

With a huge smile, “this is actually great,” Hank said.

 

“I’m glad the hot sauce worked. I can start sneaking you food if you'd like,” Connor smiled back.

 

“Hell yeah,” he took another bite.

 

Connor wanted to talk about what happened at the club, but as he watched Hank happily eat it stopped him from bringing it up. Yet.

 

Connor kept to his promise. Whenever anyone else cooked he'd go back for seconds, Connor always made sure he was the last to leave the table so Hank could eat without anyone seeing. Sometimes if the others took too long Connor would take the plate to his room.

 

Connor could tell Kara wanted to ask what was going on, but she kept quiet. Probably hoping Connor would confide in her like always.

 

The others commented about it in passing when they’d come over the apartment to eat dinner.

 

Only Nines and North actually outright asked about it.

 

When Connor had to feed himself though, he would just make enough for two and had dinner with a visible Hank. He liked seeing Hank eat and actually taste something.

 

Hank had a preference for burgers, but he couldn't really complain so he ate what Connor made. Which wasn't much, to begin with. Connor used to not care so much about what he ate so he lived off cheap frozen meals and whatever he'd get when he went out to eat with his friends.

 

He realized it's been a while since he's been out with them. Other than the club incident. Since before Hank, Connor had been turning down their inventions so he wasn't surprised that now with how much time he hid to be with Hank they'd assume he wanted to be left alone.

 

Kara still tried, but Connor had begun to prefer his nights alone trying new foods with Hank.

 

It wasn't long until Nines stuck his nose in Connor's business. He was only so patient for Connor to come clean. He was used to Connor telling him every so he could spin it into lies for their parents.

 

Connor felt the dip of the back of the couch before Nines said anything. “So who is he,” Nines stared at Connor as he leaned against the couch.

 

Connor froze and this time it wasn't just from Hank's presence. “What's that supposed to mean,” he said.

 

“Don't play stupid with me, you can't keep this a secret from me,” Nines said.

 

Connor had to laugh. “That's rich coming from you,”

 

“Now, what is _that_ supposed to mean,” Nines stood up straight so he could cross his arms.

 

“You're accusing me of a secret boyfriend, but you actually have a secret boyfriend!” Connor jumped up from the couch quickly to face his brother.

 

That stopped Nines. He opened and closed his mouth trying to find a way to get past this without having to actually tell Connor the truth.

 

“Listen I've seen the two plates that you leave after you're supposedly having dinner alone. So who is he,” he said.

 

Connor sighed and left the room without answering him.

 

That night in his room Hank sat on Connor's bed and watched Connor just sit at his desk.

 

“I wish I could tell him that he's wrong, but not mention you,” Connor broke the silence.

 

“Wrong about what?”

 

“Very funny I know you were there with us. He thinks I'm in a secret relationship with a mystery man that comes over for dinner.”

 

“That sounds about right,” Hank said.

 

“We are not in a secret relationship!”

 

“But we are, our relationship is secret,” Hank pointed out.

 

“Yes, but not the kind he's thinking of,” Connor sighed.

 

Hank just shrugged. Connor stared at his desk and blushed a deep red. He couldn't believe Hank didn't bat an eye at the accusation of them being in a relationship.

 

When money became tight Connor had to get a new job. He found one at a convenience store on the corner by the apartment. It was twenty-four hours like his old job, and his schedule was only a little different.

 

What was helpful is he got a discount at the store and used it often to buy whiskey for Hank.

 

It didn't help Connor's situation with his roommates. If there was one thing Kara wouldn't leave well enough alone, it was drinking. What was worse was Alice noticed and Kara can't have that.

 

So Nines and her ambushed him one night after dinner while Alice was getting ready for movie night.

 

“Connor I'm worried about you, Nines told me about the secret boyfriend,” she said.

 

Connor couldn't help glaring daggers at Nines before he looked back at Kara. “There is no secret boyfriend Kara,” he said.

 

“So what about the two plates,” Nines said.

 

“Oh my God, I use two plates while cooking. There is no big conspiracy,” Connor was tired of this.

 

“Then let's talk about all the alcohol then,” Kara said.

 

“Okay, so that is part of some spells I've been working with. I've been debunking again. After failing the ritual I decided to stick with that,” Connor said. It was a lie he had been coming up with, but it was a weak one still.

 

“I guess I have to believe you, I've never actually seen you acting drunk. But Connor if you need to talk seriously come to me. We're all worried about you,” Kara said.

 

“I don't buy it, are you buying them for him,” Nines wouldn't let it go.

 

It was uncomfortable how close Nines was to being right, but also how far he really was from the truth.

 

Connor had to get them to drop it. “There is no him!” Connor stormed off. He probably shouldn't keep doing that. It didn't help.

 

Connor could feel puffs of cold on his neck like Hank was laughing at it all.

 

Before Connor knew it classes had started again. Not much changed for Connor, but he had all day to be with Hank. He did join the others for lunch again. He liked going out for lunch.

 

Today everyone was at the table. Markus, Simon, and North were reading something from Markus’ phone.

 

Kara looked over North's shoulder. “What are you guys reading?” She asked.

 

North turned to her.

 

“Remember like weeks ago we went to that club,” she said.

 

Kara thought for a moment.

 

“We got Mr. Antisocial to join us for once,” North added with a not so subtle point to Connor.

 

Connor sat up straight. He felt actual cold sweat, he buried that night. Something about the way Hank would look at him when he brought it up made him not want answers.

 

“W— what happened?” Connor asked.

 

“A guy died in the bathroom, literally threw up his guts,” Markus said.

 

“Like actually threw up his insides,” Kara hesitated to ask.

 

“That's what it says,” said Simon.

 

Connor felt sick. He knew that Hank had something to do with it. That guy was harassing Connor before he ran off to the bathroom. Bathrooms that he ended up dying in.

 

It was Connor's fault he died. He was a creep, but he probably didn't deserve to die.

 

Connor left lunch early. He didn't even try to hide his escape. He could hear Kara call out to him, but he kept walking.

 

At home, he went right to his room and called out for Hank. “I know you were there Hank, what happened to that guy at the club,” Connor yelled.

 

Hank appeared at his desk, “Jesus calm down kid. I don't know what happened. That article is probably exaggerating,” he said.

 

“Hank—”

 

“Before you say anything remember, my powers are to grant wishes and perform illusions,” he added.

 

Connor wanted to believe him. It didn't make sense to Connor why Hank would have cared in the first place. That kind of hurt more. The thought of Hank not caring what happened to Connor at all.

 

“He did look high and drunk,” Connor said.

 

Hank's shoulders relaxed, “I wouldn't be surprised,” he said.

 

They dropped the subject. Connor still felt confused about what happened and if he should believe Hank but he wanted to believe. So he did.

 

At the end of the second month since Connor summoned Hank he noticed a difference in the demon. Hank started getting more agitated at Connor. He also started to bring up the wish more.

 

Connor had tried to think of something, but he couldn't figure out what interested him enough to wish for. Hank wasn't any help.

 

“I can't tell you what your wish is,” he said, again.

 

“Then how do you know my suggestions are wrong,” Connor said and flopped into his bed.

 

“I don't know what your wish is, I just have this feeling that tells me what is the wrong answer.”

 

“Why do you even have to care about what is the right answer. Does it matter?”

 

“It matters. I can only grant true wishes and I can't rush them by lying. Usually, they just need the reminder that they'll die if they don't hurry up to figure it out...or not. Then their soul is destroyed for fuel for me.”

 

“So that's what happens if I fail,” Connor said.

 

“If you run out of time, if you figure out your wish then fail to win the Game that's different,” he said.

 

“You mentioned that before, but you never told me what you meant.”

 

“Still not going to either,” he smirked.

 

Connor wanted to smack it off of him, preferably with his mouth.

 

He blushed luckily Hank couldn't see his face. Though Hank had probably been reading his mind this whole time and knew about his weird crush.

 

“Bastard,” Connor mumbled under his breath.

 

Connor stood by the counter flipping his quarter around as he waited for the hours to slowly tick by.

 

“Why do you do that, it's super annoying,” Hank appeared.

 

Connor jumped and almost dropped the coin. Hank had never shown himself outside of the apartment and even then he seemed only to deem Connor's room as safe.

 

“Distracts me when I'm bored or nervous,” Connor said. He started doing tricks again as Hank watched.

 

“It's annoying,” he huffed

 

“If my family couldn't get me to stop you sure as hell ain't,” Connor laughed. “Here,” he handed Hank a quarter from the till.

 

Connor showed him the steps he does for the trick where he flicks it from one hand to the other.

 

Hank couldn't get it. It was funny to watch him grow frustrated with his failure. Until he yelled fuck it and threw the quarter back into the open till.

 

“Your brother ever come clean about fucking his teacher?” Hank asked changing the subject.

 

Connor glared at him, “what is with you and my brother's sex life.”

 

“We could talk about your sex life, but I've been around for two months and I've seen you aren't getting any,” he said with a chuckle.

 

Connor turned bright red. “How about we talk about you,” that made Hank frown. “Did you ever have a family?” Connor asked.

 

Hank went quiet. He looked at Connor and opened his mouth if to speak, but looked at Connor for a moment. “Yeah,” he said.

 

It wasn't much, but Connor could feel it was at least an honest answer. “Thanks,” he said.

 

Hank gave him a sad little smile.

 

Connor had to look away before his face went red, it was nice to learn a little something about Hank.

 

“I don't hate being Nines’ twin, but I hate that our parents treated us as clones,” Connor said.

 

He started playing with his coin again, he kept his eyes on the counter in front of himself. Hank stood next to him, Connor could feel his eyes on him and the cold radiate from his body.

 

“Whatever he did, wherever he went. I had to do the same. It sucked. I shouldn't complain, but we are just two really different people and I hate not having anything to myself.”

 

“Is that why you practice magic?” Hank asked.

 

“Yeah. Nines was never into it so it was my thing.” He sighed. “But I never got results. Then I got the book and summoned you,” Connor smiled up at Hank.

 

Hank's face turned a slight blue, it made Connor smile more because he was sure that was the demon equivalent of blushing.

 

Connor finished his shift with Hank hanging around. They spoke about anything that came to mind.

 

Hank even stayed visible to walk with Connor.

 

No one was around in the early morning so Connor kept up the conversation as they walked. “So what do you think I should do about Nines and his professor?” Connor asked.

 

“Just leave them to it,” Hank said.

 

“I guess, but I just wish he'd think about the consequences,” Connor said.

 

“People don't really do that. Besides who are we to judge,” Hank said.

 

“I guess you're right, I did summon a de—,”

 

Rounding the corner a man stopped in front of Connor. A knife easily visible in his hand.

 

He stuttered when he spoke and he spoke fast. “G—gimme everything you have,” he said.

 

Connor could see the shaking of his hands as he tried to keep hold of the knife. He was likely withdrawing from something.

 

“I—I don't have anything, dude,” Connor said.

 

“Bullshit! You have to have something,” the man shook harder.

 

“I'm serious, I don't have anything,” Connor said.

 

He knew he should have turned and ran, not try and convince a man withdrawing hard he didn't have anything of value.

 

Of course, that only pissed him off, the mugger jumped quickly at Connor. Before he could take more than a step he collapsed by Connor's feet.

 

A small trickle of blood poured from his mouth, he wasn't moving, even to breathe.

 

Hank reappeared close to Connor. “Are you okay?” Hank asked as he looked around Connor to make sure.

 

“He's dead,” Connor couldn't really process it. He'd never seen someone die before. “Did you do that?” He looked at Hank.

 

“I had to,” Hank said.

 

This happened before Connor thought. “What about the guy from the bar,” he said, he clenched his fists and waited.

 

Hank’s shoulders went stiff for a moment. “That was me too,” he said quietly.

 

Connor's eyes went wide as he stared at the ground. “How could you, you lied to me!” He shouted.

 

“I had to protect you,” Hank said, his voice was soft with feeling.

 

“I can handle myself, I don't need you killing people for me,” Connor yelled.

 

“Quiet down, do you want the whole block to hear you,” Hank hissed through sharp teeth.

 

“Fuck, I need to get out of here,” Connor started to panic.

 

Hank stepped towards him, but Connor looked up at him wide-eyed and terrified.

 

“S—stay away from me!” Connor turned ran away.

 

He could hear Hank call out to him, but he just ran faster.

 

Two men were dead, because of Hank. And Hank was Connor's fault.

 

Connor ran all the way home, not once looking back. He knew Hank didn't have to actually chase him and could teleport to him any second. But he didn't. Connor was able to get home and into bed without seeing Hank again.

 

The next morning Connor woke up alone too. He could hear someone in the kitchen, his clock said it was only a few minutes past eight. He hadn't slept long but didn't feel like being in bed anymore. Connor got up and in a robe before leaving his room.

 

Kara was alone in the kitchen making french toast from the looks of it. Connor joined her; he took the bowl and ingredients from her. He didn't say anything as he mixed the eggs, milk, and cinnamon.

 

“Something happen at work?” Kara asked as she grabbed the bread for Connor. Then went to the stove to heat the pan.

 

“Yeah, kind of—” Connor said looking into the bowl.

 

“What to talk about it,” Kara said over her shoulder.

 

Connor did, but he wasn't sure what to say. Telling her the absolute truth was out of the question.

 

“There is this guy at work—,” Connor started, he blushed. “He is completely my type, with a bit of extra baggage. But last night I may have almost gotten… mugged.”

 

Kara turned on the spot, “you were mugged!”

 

“I said almost! H—Hank was walking me home so it was fine he saved me,” Connor said.

 

He kept on cooking and wouldn't look at her.

 

“What happened, Connor?”

 

“I'm pretty sure he killed the guy, he didn't mean to, but,” Connor felt like crying, he left Kara to finish cooking alone and sat down at the table.

 

“Are you completely sure?”

 

“Maybe, I don't know. I ran,” Connor said.

 

“What do you want to do, we can go to the police,” she said.

 

“No,” Connor shouted. “No, I don't want him to get in trouble. I'm in love with him, and I think he might love me too.”

 

It was true, despite what happened, Connor was in love with him. In love with Hank. A demon.

 

Kara cooked in silence for a while. “You should talk to him. I mean it was an accident, and he was just protecting you. Besides you said you weren't sure if the mugger was dead or not. You never know.”

 

Connor did know, but she was right in a way. It was a horrible accident, but Hank seemed sincerely sorry.

 

He knew he was making excuses, but deep down Connor didn't care. Somewhere under the guilt, he was grateful to Hank.


	4. Chapter 4

The conversation died down when Alice joined them followed by Nines. They ate breakfast together before Kara and Alice left to do errands. She asked if he wanted to join them, but he said no.

 

Connor decided to just wait for Hank to come back in his own.

 

So he was left at home with Nines. Which was odd. Nines never stayed home for long.

 

“Trouble in paradise,” Connor said.

 

Nines glared at him. “None of your business,” he said.

 

“Come on talk to me,” Connor said.

 

“I could say the same thing,” Nines said.

 

Connor supposed he was right. Connor grabbed Nines and dragged them to the couch.

 

“Okay. I'll tell you,” Connor said.

 

That made Nines raise an eyebrow, “okay, but you first.”

 

“Fine. There is this older guy at work that I like and I'm pretty sure he likes me back, but there was a bit of an incident earlier this morning after work—” Connor said.

 

“I know, I heard you and Kara talking,” Nines interrupted.

 

“Oh,” Connor paused. “So what do you think I should do.”

 

“Why ask? I know you've made up your mind already.”

 

“You're right, just wanted your opinion I guess,” Connor said.

 

“I think you two should talk about it. So it's my turn I assume,” he said. Nines looked down at the floor. “I've been sleeping with my professor,” Nines said finally.

 

“I suspected as much, but why. You could get in a lot of trouble.”

 

Nines went quiet. “Wow, so like this is pretty serious,” Connor said.

 

That made his brother blush. “I thought so, but when I confessed my feelings he freaked out.”

 

“In what way?”

 

“He kept telling me that I couldn't love him and that we were just having fun. He wouldn't listen when I tried to get him to realize how serious I was. Then he ran off,” Nines said.

 

“It was probably a lot to take in, give him time. Besides from what I've heard he's an asshole, I'm sure he isn't used to being loved.”

 

Nines chuckled a little. “That was a little mean, get that from your Hank.” Connor pouted. “It just wasn't the reaction I wanted.” Nines finished.

 

“I’m sure it wasn't,” Connor said. “Call him tomorrow.”

 

“Only if you call Hank,” Nines held out a pinky.

 

“Really? What are we ten,” Connor said but hooked his pinky. “I'll talk to him, if he doesn't ignore me”

 

“Tell him I'll kick his ass personally if he ignores you,” Nines said as he left.

 

Connor laughed. Even a demon may think twice when messing with Nines.

 

Suddenly feeling really tired again Connor went back to his room and laid back in bed. When he woke up again it was past one in the afternoon.

 

No one was home and Hank was nowhere to be seen. Connor hadn't expected to be returning to his old ways so soon. He didn't have anything to do all day so he wasted it in front of the TV.

 

He spent a few days after that doing nothing but watching TV and drinking whiskey he bought on habit.

 

Sometime later Connor realized he had totally stopped thinking about the two men. He didn't stop thinking about Hank, almost hoping his thoughts would call him there.

 

Connor missed Hank a lot. 

 

The others noticed him spending more time in the living room. At first, they assumed it was a good thing to have Connor out of his room more, but he went out less than before. 

 

Kara and Nines half knew what was wrong, but wouldn't press Connor when he refused to speak. Kara noticed the drinking but kept quiet waiting for him come to her instead of pushing him.

 

Connor guessed in pity for his first heartbreak. He didn't mind.

 

It was almost a week when Connor began to think of ways to summon Hank to him. He tried calling out and thinking really hard, but nothing happened.

 

He was outside of work one morning when the idea came to him. Connor knew it was stupid, but he wanted to see Hank so badly.

 

An icy wind stopped him from walking into traffic. “Please talk to me,” he whispered before backing away from the curb.

 

Connor went to bed early feeling more exhausted.

 

He was woken up by a sharp cold against his leg. The room was dark. He could just barely see Hank sitting at the side of his bed.

 

There was a faint blue glow around him. It was beautiful. The shadows couldn't hide the glow of his blue eyes or the hurt in them. Connor wanted to reach out and touch him but didn't move. Just waited.

 

“I’m sorry for what happened. I just couldn't let them hurt you, I had no other way,” Hank said.

 

“Why did you kill them?”

 

“I'm not all-powerful. I can perform illusions and grant wishes, anything more than that takes a serious toll on me. It also shortens your time, so I took their energy to balance it out. I couldn't let anything happen to you, Connor.”

 

“Why,” Connor nearly whispered.

 

“Because you make me feel human again,” he said looking over at Connor with a sad smile.

 

“Human, again.”

 

Hank looked away, the smiled faded, but he sighed. “To hell with it, I've broken a bunch of rules already, what's a few more. Fuck it,’ Hank said.

 

Connor didn't speak.

 

“I was human, every demon before me was at some point. When you lose the challenge, your freedom is taken and the demon is set free.”

 

“What about if time just runs out?” Connor asked.

 

“The demon devours the summoner's soul and is forced back into their realm to wait again. Time there feels like forever, even if only seconds had passed.”

 

“Do you remember your human life?”

 

“Yeah, I'm sure it is meant to torment me,” he said.

 

Connor didn't want to push, but he felt like this would be his only chance. “Please tell me about it,”

 

“I had a fiance and we had a son—” he paused. “There was a car accident. Cole was rushed to the hospital, but the doctor was so out of it on Red Ice that he fucked up the surgery. Cole could have lived if it wasn't for him,” Hank said baring his fangs.

 

His eyes turned completely white and an aura came off of him, the room temperature dropped so hard Connor couldn't breath

 

Connor crawled to Hank's side and sat beside him. “I'm sorry,” he said.

 

Hank sighed and the temperature warmed a little.

 

“After that, I started drinking heavily, and my fiance left because I couldn't let go. I started playing with my revolver, I had nothing to live for,” Hank covered his face in one large hand. “Then I was given a book and told I could be granted a wish to bring him back. So I did it—.”

 

Connor didn't look at Hank and watched his hands as Hank took his time talking.

 

“I chose Russian roulette, I thought if I had survived that long. Obviously, my luck had to run out,” Hank finished.

 

Connor couldn't help himself he placed a hand on Hank's leg, the cold almost burned his skin, but he didn't move it.

 

“When I decided to summon you, I decided I was okay with dying,” Connor sniffled. “It sounds stupid. It's not like I'm unhappy, I have a good home full of people that love me. I was just so completely bored, every day no matter what I did I was bored.”

 

“That’s not stupid at all, Connor. There isn't a right or wrong way, it's not a competition,” Hank said.

 

Connor leaned his head against Hank's shoulder.

 

“I forgave you a while ago you know. I missed you,” Connor whispered.

 

“I missed you too, though I never left. I just couldn't show myself to you. Until you were—”

 

“About to jump into traffic, sorry about that. I was desperate.”

 

Hank put an arm around Connor and gripped his waist with ice hands. Connor looked up at him. They looked into each other's eyes. Hank looked tired.

 

“I'm sorry,” Hank said.

 

“Me too,” Connor said as he began to drift back to sleep.

 

He could feel Hank put him back into bed then the chill dissipates.

 

The next day Connor woke up feeling better. He remembered the night before and smiles as he got dressed. He waited until everyone was out for the day before leaving his room for food. He ended up just making eggs and toast before sitting on the couch to watch TV.

 

He felt the chill before he felt the weight of Hank sitting beside him. He looked more tired than before, but he just smiled at Connor and silently watched with him.

 

It was almost like things went back to normal. If normal was spending all day with a demon that you loved.

 

Something was off, at first Connor thought there was still tension from what happened but this felt different. Hank doesn't sit as close and often would disappear most of the day.

 

Connor couldn't take it much longer, so one day while they were on the couch together Connor caved in.

 

“Hank is something wrong?”

 

“It's nothing Connor,” he said but he was clenching his teeth and baring his fangs slightly. Almost pained.

 

Connor goes to touch him when Hank swiped at him with sharp claws. They just barely missed his arm. “Hank!”

 

Hank fell to the floor clutching his head, his features began to become less human. Connor dropped beside him and held him. Hank breathed heavily as Connor and he sat on the floor together. 

 

Once he calmed Connor let go.

 

“What happened?” Connor asked he was ready to beg.

 

“I’m sorry, It's already starting.”

 

“What is?”

 

“I'm losing control, my energy is so drained I may not be able to control myself any longer,” Hank said through his teeth.

 

“What can we do?”

 

“Only thing you can do is make your wish.”

 

“But, we'll probably never see each other again. No matter the outcome. I don't want to lose you,” Connor began to cry. “I love you.”

 

Hank wiped a tear away, “I love you too, but that doesn't change the fact this will only end badly.”

 

“I don't care,” Connor said. “There has to be something we can do, maybe we should go see the man I got the book from.”

 

“What man?”

 

“Kamski, he runs a shop close by.”

 

So they left and headed to the shop. It wasn't open, but that didn't stop Hank from opening the door from the inside.

 

Everything was gone, shelves that were once full of magical knick-knacks were now bare. Even the heavy smoke that hung in the air was gone. Connor put his hand in his pocket to fiddle with his quarter.

 

_ What is they're gone _ , Connor worried

 

“Come out, I know you're there,” Hank bellowed.

 

A soft chuckle from nowhere was followed by Kamski and Chloe appearing in front of them from a plume of smoke.

 

“Welcome, back. And I see you brought a friend,” Kamski smiled. Neither knew who he was addressing, but they suspected both of them.

 

“Hank is running out of energy,” Connor said, he wasn't in the mood to dance around.

 

“I can feel that, looks like his time is almost up. Isn't it—Hank was it?”

 

“Who the fuck are you two,” he said.

 

“You know who we are,” Chloe said having been quiet up until now.

 

Hank stares at Chloe. “It's rude to stare at a lady, Hank,” Kamski said.

 

“I know you, I remember. You two have me the book,” Hank said. He watched Chloe nod, staring harder at her. “Fuck, you're a demon too aren't you?”

 

Connor looked at Chloe, she just smiled brightly at Hank.

 

“I was,” she said.

 

Connor looked away from Chloe to Kamski then to Hank. “I don't get it,” he said.

 

“She was a demon, I simply wished she was human,” Kamski said.

 

Hank finally looked at Kamski “You summoned a demon then used your wish to make her human?”

 

“Well, that. Immortality and to have all the powers I could dream of,” he answered.

 

“I wanted to be human again, and he granted me my wish,” Chloe said.

 

“Turns out there isn't much of a limit on what you can wish for as long as it's what you truly want,” Kamski chuckled darkly, “that is as long as you can win your game of choice.”

 

“What did you choose?” Connor asked.

 

“Programming, demons aren't very computer savvy.”

 

Connor thought for a moment. “Why the book?”

 

“The book was created when I became human,” Chloe said. “I believe it was created as a way to replace me in place of a new soul.”

 

“Why did you give it to me?” Connor asked.

 

“We test people, we anticipated who would want to perform it and have the ability to do so,” Chloe said.

 

“And you did it, not perfectly, but you survived. I was honestly surprised,” Kamski said. “Though not sure long if you don't think of something to wish for.”

 

Hank growled at him.

 

Kamski chuckled, “well it seems you were right Chloe.”

 

Then suddenly they both vanished and along with them the whole shop. Connor and Hank stood in an empty alley.

 

“Those sons of bitches,” Hank growled.

 

Connor with his hand still in his pocket holding tightly to his lucky coin smiled. “Hank, it's okay. Let's go home,” Connor said lightly.

 

At home, Hank vanished the moment Connor stepped through the door. On the couch was Nines watching TV. 

 

“Where have you been?” He asked.

 

Connor sighed, “it's a long story.”

 

Nines nodded but doesn't speak. He was smiling, it was a little concerning. “What’s up with you?” Connor asked.

 

“I talked to Gavin, he apologized for being an idiot and told me that he loves me too. It was just a bad gut reaction,” Nines said.

 

“I'm pretty sure that's code for I'm bad with emotions,” Connor laughed.

 

“How is it with that co-worker of yours?”

 

“It's complicated, but—” Connor took out his coin. “Listen tomorrow after breakfast and Alice leaves for school can you stay for a bit, I wanna talk to you and Kara about something.”

 

“Sure, what's going on?”

 

“I'll explain tomorrow,” Connor said and left the room.

 

He doesn't tell Hank his plan, he barely sleeps that night. Hank laid heavily behind him. Connor wanted nothing more than to turn around and fill the gap between them, but Hank was blistering cold now that he was losing more control.

 

Breakfast the next morning was strange, Kara and Alice were oblivious to anything being wrong but Nines knew something was up. Connor ate slowly and waited. Once Alice was off to school Connor sat Kara and Nines down that the kitchen table.

 

“I'm going to honest with you guys, the ritual I did months ago. Worked,” Connor said.

 

“What do you mean worked?” Kara asked.

 

“I mean I lie when I said nothing happened I summoned a demon, and now I have to finish it—” Connor grew quiet. “I may not come back,” he said.

 

“What are you talking about?” Kara asked again.

 

“If I don't finish the ritual I die, I do finish it I still may die. But I'm not worried,” he said.

 

“How can you not be worried,” Kara was almost in tears.

 

“Trust me,” was all he said.

 

Connor looked to Nines who had been totally silent up until this point. “Nines?”

 

Nines looked conflicted, but after a moment steeled himself. “All I have to say is you better survive this or I'll summon a demon just to wish that I could kick your ass,” he said.

 

“You wouldn't need a demon's help to kick my ass,” Connor laughed.

 

Suddenly the tension was almost gone; Kara couldn't help but giggle, even Nines chuckled.

 

When they had to get ready for class Kara looked at Connor once more with concern. 

 

She kissed him on the cheek as tears welled in her eyes. “Please be careful.”

 

“I'll be fine,” Connor is sure of it.

 

They leave and Connor stood alone in the kitchen. Hank appeared across the room.

 

“You know how against the rules that was.”

 

“Screw the rules, didn't you already break them.”

 

Hank laughed, “I guess I did.” He stopped and looked at Connor. “Are you sure about this?”

 

Connor walked up to him and pulled him down to kiss him. “I'm ready to make my wish.”

 

Hank's eyes glowed bright white and a voice that was his but boomed from every corner of the apartment. The world around them turned red. Red ice spread across the floor coating the whole room with ice.

 

“I wish that we could spend the rest of our lives together as humans, with Cole alive and well,” Connor said.

 

Hank began to cry, but the rest of him seemed to be in a trance. “What challenge do you choose?”

 

“I choose coin tricks, drop the coin and you lose.”

 

Hank looked like he was ready to laugh then cry more. Connor wondered if it was in relief.

 

A coin materialized in front of Hank and Connor took his lucky coin out of his pocket.

 

Connor smiled as he effortlessly moved the coin around his hands, throwing it from one to the other. Hank laughed as Connor stopped it on its side balanced on the back of his middle finger before flicking it up and catching it in the palm of his hand.

 

Connor smiled, “your turn.”

 

Hank was able to roll the coin in his hand a couple times, but when he went to flick it he missed and the coin fell to the floor. The ice shattered under it before all the ice shattered away.

 

They both laugh and tears fell freely down their faces. Connor practically jumped into Hank's arms and kissed him.

 

As they kiss the world around them went black.

 

Connor wakes up in bed. He could cry, had everything been a dream. An arm wraps around his waist stopped him. He looked beside him to see a man in his early thirties, with long curly blonde hair.

 

Hank opened his eyes and stared at Connor for a moment. His hand reached up to caress Connor's cheek. His hand was warm to the touch, and Connor could almost feel the pulse racing.

 

“I can't believe you,” he laughed and kissed Connor. “You could have died,” he kissed him again.

 

“Not with your piss poor coin skills my love,” Connor laughed between kisses.

 

Suddenly a noise from the kitchen caught their attention, Hank sat up quickly. He looked at Connor and suddenly he started to cry, remembering the second half to his wish.

 

Hank was naked, but inside Connor's closet was full of clothes that looked to be Hank's. On the wall beside Connor's group photo is one of him andHank with a little boy on Hank's shoulders.

 

They got dressed and Hank nervously opened the door.

 

In the kitchen, Kara was at the stove making pancakes with Nines watching and at the table drawing was Alice and a little boy.

 

He looked up from his picture and smiled, “morning daddy, look what I drew,” he said.

 

Hank still in tears ran over and hugged him tightly.

 

“Cole,” he cried.

 

Everyone else in the room watched in confusion. They didn't seem to remember anything Connor had told them the day before.

 

“Gross dad!” Cole tried to wiggle free of Hank's bear hug and a flurry of kisses.

 

Connor laughed and joined in on the hugging.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And it's finished! Thanks to everyone who read especially after that 6-month break Follow me on Tumblr

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on Tumblr


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